The "China threat" theory is not new. Its recent resurgence reflects the growing anxiety in the West over China's peaceful rise in a fast-changing world.

This week, some US National Security Council officials urged the Donald Trump administration to centralize 5G mobile network to "counter the threat of China spying on phone calls", inviting opposition from US communications regulators, wireless companies and many lawmakers.

Earlier last month, some Australian politicians criticized China for providing loans to Pacific island countries on unfavorable terms, yet they were strongly rebuked by officials from those very island countries. Other Western countries such as Germany, France and Italy are also trying to more strictly scrutinize investments from China.

Instead of putting China under a microscope to determine the "level of threat" it poses, the Western powers should find new prescriptions to revitalize themselves and overcome their sense of loss in an interdependent world in the face of China's fast development.

For decades, elites in the West have believed that the Western-style democratic political system combined with free market economy is the best form of governance.

Since the end of the Cold War, the US-led "liberal world order", which to the West is ideal for global governance, has enjoyed uncontested superiority in every domain. But now, as Fyodor Lukyanov, editor-in-chief of Russia in Global Affairs, says, the US has returned to "the Cold War-era inertia", seeing a world full of threats rather than opportunities.

Now, the West-dominated world order that has existed for more than 200 years needs to be refashioned. The rise of China, whose political, economic and ideological systems are different from those of the West, has unsettled many. Western countries are, in one way or another, uncomfortable with their own illusion that some other country is going to take their place and replace the "old set of rules" with its own.

But the China skeptics need to understand that China has no intention of pulling down the existing world order and building a new one based on its own propositions. What China wants to do is to shoulder its share of responsibilities as a major country, work together with other countries to improve global governance and make it serve not just the Western powers, but all other countries as well.

At the just concluded World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, China clearly stated its determination to stay on the track of reform and opening-up, saying bolder reform measures will create more opportunities for the rest of the world.

More than two centuries ago, the West managed to become the global leader by applying the changes brought about by the Industrial Revolution to the rest of the world. History progresses with the times. So the West needs to stop looking at China through ideological lenses, and embrace a positive-sum mentality and the spirit of openness.(news from chinadaily)

The US constitution is ancient. It was written by the elite of the US before the steam engine was invited. Naturally it favors the elite. This error has been amplified since the
Reagan administration.
To make any amendments to the US constitution requires at least 38 states to approve.
Since the US has only 50 states this means 13 states can block any amendment.
The population of the US is approximately 325,000,000 people while the population of
the 13 least populous states is approximately 16,200,000 people.
The 3 richest people in the US have as much wealth as the lower 160,000,000 people.
This is one reason why the US is really an oligarchy, not a democracy.
The constitution also allowed Trump to be elected with 3,000,000 fewer votes from the
commoner than the rival candidate. This doesn't matter since all candidates for high office
in the US must be backed by the elite to even stand a chance.
Another reason the US is an oligarchy.
If the west wants to progress its biggest player, the US, needs a new constitution.
Perhaps the US should look toward the China for help with this.
After all, China has progressed far faster than any other nation over the past 60 years.

If capitalism promotes innovation and creativity then why aren't scientists and artists the richest people in a capitalist nation?

Westerners of developed nations have been complacent,arrogant and ignorant from one leader after another no matter which administrationscame and left. Post WW2 had seen the greatest of the USA as a true goodie inthe world to help stopped the invasions of very brutal invasions of theextremely cruel Japs with 2 atomic bombs and at the other end to blunt the NaziHitler Army.

Post-WW2, saw the formations of NATO and G7 which ganged upto take advantages of the underdeveloped nations which at that period includeda poor old_China during the last century ( Chinese folks were in civil wars andbutchered its 6000 years of glories on Earth, just too bad but must neverrepeat ). For decades of good times,these advanced economies are enjoying global advantages and practically dictateall other nations, rightly or wrongly. See how setup control compositions ofthe IMF and World Bank differ between nations?

These NATO and G7 have learned how to dictate as bossybullying dictators yet they are shamelessly calling many others as dictators.They have learned very well on how to fight, shit-stir, divide and war over thelast centuries. Though met with historically major defeats in wars, they appearto learn nothing about the ill-effects of conflicts and wars. Of course, fakingexcuses to war as seen in Vietnam, Iraq, Libya, etc are draining giganticresources stretching from human lives to the most basic needs of human. Theyhave become so mentally in disarray and politically weakened in many fronts.Can they economically expect to progress in such "run-down"situations? Milling of USD in trillionsequivalent of any currency is NOT the answer but they are taking that as theeasiest way out. Continuously blaming others like China being chosen as thepunching bag for them is a wicked plot against a peaceful and progressive riseof China. China is not working alone to drive the world economy upward but isproviding a means to an end.

Whereas, the USA and sadly Australia are trying hard to hypea China Threat Theory and if possible to stir conflicts in the Far East region- North East Asia - Pacific in contemptuous perils of nuke war ! Comments and remarks from UncleTrump at theState Union about China stealing the value of the USA is a kid joke whichrationally means that UncleTrump has lost all his value down to toilet shithole; isn't it ?

Australia remarked stupidly that China is the greatestthreat to Australia or to the world is displaying a desperate politicalinternal shit fight among its Aussie parliamentary members. Can you imagine anAussie top secret cabinet was up for sale at a roadside and somehow ABC pickedit up. What were inside the cabinet? They are spending too much time and effortto hype a CHINA THREAT theory (or it was once upon a time called "YellowImperils") to shield the extremely shameful dilemmas of the cabinet forsale fiascos.

Those shameless calling nations ought to look at themselvesto rejig their mental attitudes to fit into today's world. China has indeedawakened by world bullies but it is NOT hyping up conflicts. Instead, China'sinitiated B&R has a world of goodies for every nation to join the wagon inorder to reset today's world order with realistic rational foresight, wellfocussed perception and goodwill.

robert237 Post time: 2018-2-3 05:17
The US constitution is ancient. It was written by the elite of the US before the steam engine was in ...

Generally, I agree the US constitution should be changed. And that there is an insufficient social safety-net for the poor. However, I remain optimistic that the US will change - partly because of the horrible Trump electoral victory. In the long-run pragmatic social democratic capitalism will succeed.

Ted180 Post time: 2018-2-4 19:14
Generally, I agree the US constitution should be changed. And that there is an insufficient social ...

Capitalism always has and always will give ultimate power to the rich.
It's baked into the ideology. Capitalism must be abolished and the
distribution of wealth be determined by a communist or socialist government.
Once the power of capitalist military governments is defeated then communism
will be able to freely operate.. not constantly fight off western imperialism.

If capitalism promotes innovation and creativity then why aren't scientists and artists the richest people in a capitalist nation?